(1) When television writers get stuck for ideas, they always seem to turn to the same old gimmicks. (2) One such gimmick is to get the main characters stuck somewhere, perhaps in an elevator, on an island, or on a plane that is going down. (3) The plot always unfolds in the same way: the characters reveal all sorts of intimate information, only to be rescued before the show ends. (4) Perhaps the most overused gimmick is the introduction of a celebrity into the cast of characters as someone's relative or love interest. (5) This move is a sure sign that the writers and producers have run out of fresh material.
1. Which of the following conclusions can be made based on this passage?
a. TV writers and producers enjoy using gimmicks
b. TV writers and producers all suffer from writer's block
c. TV writers and producers sometimes succeed in persuading celebrities to appear on shows
d. TV audiences cannot recognize a plot that is used in a multitude of settings and genres e. TV writers and producers are not nearly as creative as they often appear to be
2. Which of the following inferences can be made based on the passage?
a. A small group of writers and producers write the material for most TV shows
b. Using formulas is not the way to create successful TV shows
c. There are only three main scenarios that writers use to invigorate shows
d. Story lines must always feature original, never-before-seen content if a show is to be successful e. Certain scenarios and story lines are used in many kinds of shows.
Practice #40
1. His claim to fame is because he was once on a reality TV show; however, he got kicked off the show after the first episode. No error.
2. Its amazing how moviegoers willingly pay the exorbitant prices for popcorn, candy, soda, and nachos at the theater. No error.
Practice #41
Choose the answer that most improves the bolded portion of the original sentence.
1. Extra security was hired by the colleges for the football game.
a. Extra security was hired by the colleges for the football game.
b. Extra security were hired by the colleges for the football game.
c. Extra security was hired for the football game by the colleges. d. The colleges hired extra security for the football game.
e. The colleges were hired by extra security for the football game.
2. She broke her nails trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red.
a. nails trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red b. nails, which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red, trying to open the can of soda
c. nails which had just been painted, trying to open the can of soda, a beautiful shade of cherry red
d. nails while trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red
e. nails trying to open the can of soda, which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red
SAT #42
(1) Customers can accumulate points for using the ChargeMe credit card and then use those points to purchase great merchandise. (2) Points can even be used to go ona vacation to the Bahamas the Caribbean or Florida. (3) The marketing division of ChargeMe hopes that this points program will not only encourage existing customers to use their cards more; but will also actually encourage others to apply for a ChargeMe credit card.
1. Which of the following is the best revision of sentence 2?
a. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to: the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or Florida
b. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to; the Bahamas, the Caribbean the Virgin Islands or the British Isles.
c. Points perhaps can possibly even be used to go on a vacation. d. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or Florida
e. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to the Bahamas; the Caribbean; or Florida.
2. Which revision does sentence 3 most need?
a. Replace "but will actually" with "but may actually" b. Remove the semicolon between "more" and "but."
c. Replace "encourage" with "encourages."
d. Remove "also."
e. Add a comma after "points program."
SAT #43
(1) The Barton County School District plans to launch a new program for evaluating its teachers. (2) BCSD is hoping that its pilot program can serve as a prototype for other districts across the state and even across the country. (3) The committee wants its evaluation program to measure a teacher's knowledge of his or her subject matter, effectiveness in the classroom, and demeanor in and out of the classroom.
1. Besides evaluating each teacher in the district, BCSD also hopes to do which of the following with its teacher evaluation program? a. offer the program as a model for other interested administrators
b. determine teacher merit pay
c. determine student placement based on teacher competency
d. place teachers in suitable schools
e. measure the relative intelligence of the district teachers
2. Which of the following will not be measured by the BCSD teacher evaluation program?
a. a teacher's manner in a classroom setting
b. a teacher's efficacy with students in a learning environment
c. a teacher's behavior and conduct outside the classroom
d. a teacher's comprehension of his or her main subject e. a teacher's expertise in cross-curricular subjects
SAT #44
1. Thea teacher's scribbled _ not only excited Sida, they _ her to keep up her hard work.
a. complements...motivated b. compliments...motivated
c. exhortations...exhilarated
d. conflagrations...enervated
e. dissertations...ameliorated
2. Much to the dismay of the scientific community, the _ supported a theory that completely _ fifty years of accepted science.
a. orator...collaborated
b. recluse...embroiled
c. prophet....disoriented d. novice...discredited
e. evangelist...disregarded
SAT #45
1. All the people in the office overlooking the lake needs to be sure that their computers are turned off before they leave work on Friday. No error.
2. Louis couldn't overcome the embarrassment of spilling grape soda on they're carpet, so he left immediately. No error.
SAT #46
(1) Less than one percent of the money in the criminal justice system budget is spent on vocational training for inmates in state prisons. (2) Critics argue that if more money was spent on training, fewer prisoners would return to a life of crime. (3) If more money was spent on helping prisoners learn work skills, less money would have to be spent on processing and incarcerating convicts. (4) This is assuming, of course, that inmates want vocational training.
1. Which of the following inferences can be made based on the argument in the passage above?
a. Inmates who receive vocational training will probably wind up back in prison.
b. Inmates who receive vocational training are just as likely to commit crimes as those who do not receive vocational training. c. Inmates who receive vocational training are less likely to commit crimes upon their release.
d. Tax money should not be spent on vocational training for inmates.
e. The criminal justice system should reevaluate its priorities.
2. In sentence 3, the term "incarcerating" means
a. setting free
b. educating
c. prosecuting d. imprisoning
e. releasing
SAT #47
(1) Frank decided to open his own construction company. (2) His first move was to hire a crew. (3) He hired a carpenter. (4) He hired a plumber. (5) He hired an electrician and a concrete expert. (6) Frank wanted to advertise, so he put an ad in the newspaper and he ran the ad for three months. (7) Within a matter of just a few weeks, Frank had signed twelve contracts for new housing construction in three different subdivisions in of the city. (8) Frank was well on his way to succeess.
Which of the following is the best combination of sentences 2, 3, 4, and 5?
a. Frank's first move was to: hire a crew, hire a carpenter, hire an electrician, and hire a concrete expert.
b. Frank, as his first move, was to hire a crew that consisted of everything from a carpenter to a concrete expert. c. Frank's first move was to hire a crew consisting of a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and a concrete expert.
d. A carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and a concrete expert made up Frank's crew; he hired them.
e. Frank first hired a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and then a concrete expert as his first move for a crew.
SAT #48
1. Bull riders must surely have to really be strong and brave.
a. must surely have to really be
b. surely must really have to be
c. really must surely be
d. have to surely be e. have to be
2. Doctors and nurses, that work in emergency rooms, often suffer from work-related stress.
a. nurses, that work in emergency rooms, b. nurses who work in emergency rooms
c. nurses which, work in emergency rooms,
d. nurses, who work, in emergency rooms
e. nurses, whom work in emergency rooms,
SAT #49
(1) All humans need sleep in order to function on a day-to-day basis. (2) Some people need eight to ten hours of sleep each night, while other people need only four to six hours of sleep. (3) Some people like to stay up very late; others prefer to go to bed so they can wake up early. (4) While many people like to sleep on firm mattresses, others enjoy soft mattresses. (5 Clearly, there are as many variations of "a good night's sleep" as there are people who sleep.
1. In the context of the paragraph, which of the following revisions does sentence 1 most need?
a. Add "However" to the beginning of the sentence. b. Replace "day-to-day" with "daily."
c. Replace "All humans need" with "Every human needs."
d. Offset the phrase "in order to function" with commas.
e. Replace "basis" with "basic."
2. In which of the following places in the paragraph should the following sentence be added? However, not all humans have the same sleep habits, preferences, and needs.
a. Add to the beginning of the paragraph b. Add between sentence 1 and sentence 2
c. Add between sentence 3 and sentence 4
d. Add to the end of the paragraph
e. Combine with sentence 5
SAT #50
1. The new governor never (blank) any of his campaign promises, and as a result his supporters felt totally (blank).
a. made...convinced
b. encouraged...secured
c. authored...bamboozled d. fulfilled...betrayed
e. authenticated...disassociated
2. Sam idolized his brother and tried to (blank) him every respect.
a. vindicate b. emulate c. propagate
d. formulate
e. integrate
SAT #51
(1) Some people enjoy old black-and-white movies, some enjoy science fiction shows, and others are addicted to reality TV. (2) I love infomercials. (3) I plan to build a website devoted solely to the infomercial. (4) My dream is to one day open an Infomercial Museum and Hall of Fame. (5) Despite what people say, I have not developed an unhealthy obsession with the products advertised in infomercials. (6) I'm fully aware that most of the products showcased on infomercials are junk. (7) I am interested primarily in infomercial marketing techniques, the salesmanship of the D-list celebrities who endorse the products, and the crazy gimmicks that manufacturers use to try to sell their goods. (8) Sales execs and ad agencies could learn a lot from the geniuses behind infomercials.
1. Which of the following is implied in the passage?
a. The author has collected an impressive collection of vintage infomercial products.
b. The author has accumulated a sizable debt because of an addition to infomercial products. c. People have made fun of the author for his interest in infomercials.
d. The author never watches infomercials; he just records them.
e. The author must be very wealthy, if he intends to open an infomercial museum.
2. Which of the following words best describes the author's account of his interest in infomercials?
a. contentious
b. contemporary
c. convoluted d. candid
e. condescending
SAT #53
1. With the expanded use of email, it is very possible that in the future the world had lost the will and the desire to write letters the old-fashioned way. No error.
2. When I look in the mirror I saw a person who has goals and who plans on reaching those goals through hard work, determination, and desire. No error.
SAT #54
1. The professor stood in front of the class of college freshmen and lectures them on punctuality, discipline, and responsibility.
a. and lectures them
b. and, lectures them
c. and, lectured them d. and lectured them
e. and lectured their
2. Manny and Miguel spent all night; playing their guitars, talking, and writing new music.
a. night; playing b. night playing
c. night: playing
d. night and were playing
e. nights playing
SAT #55
(1) Insurance companies fleece millions and millions of customers each year. (2) They charge people thousands of dollars annually. (3) If a customer has an accident, the company pays for only a portion of the expenses. (4) Furthermore, the insurance company raises the cost of the customer's insurance policy every time he or she makes a claim. (5) There must be something unethical about this practice.
1. Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
a. People don't really need insurance.
b. The government should intervene to help insurance customers.
c. Insurance companies owe it to their customers to process their claims in an efficient manner.
d. Insurance companies operate illegally. e. Insurance companies' business practices are unscrupulous.
2. Based on the context of the passage, the word "fleece" in sentence 1 means a. swindle
b. cover
c. aid
d. develop
e. insure
SAT #56
(1) People often assume that the eagle was the natural and obvious choice to be the national bird of the United States. (2) However, Ben Franklin, one of the nation's founding fathers, had another bird in mind: the turkey. (3) Franklin believed the turkey is a powerful bird that represents America well. (4) The turkey didn't catch on as the national bird, despite his best efforts. (5) If Franklin's bid had been successful, Thanksgiving would be celebrated differently than it is today.
1. Which of the following is the best revision of sentence 3?
a. Franklin believes the turkey is a powerful bird that represents America well.
b. Franklin believed the turkey was a powerful bird that represents America well. c. Franklin believed the turkey was a powerful bird that represented America well.
d. Franklin believed the turkey is a powerful bird that represented America well.
e. Franklin believes the turkey is a powerful bird that represented America well.
2. In the context of the paragraph, which of the following revisions does sentence 4 most need?
a. Replace "didn't" with "couldn't."
b. Place the phrase "despite his best efforts" at the beginning of the sentence.
c. Replace the comma with a semicolon. d. Replace "his" with "Franklin's."
e. Replace "despite" with "in spite of."
SAT #57
1. In an attempt to (blank) the uprising, the government (blank ) troops to the frontier.
a. confess...employed
b. digress...convoyed
c. regress...conveyed d. suppress...deployed
e. fortress...alloyed
2. The (blank) team bounced back from the loss and went on to win the title.
a. efficient
b. considerate c. resilient
d. influential
e. salubrious
SAT #58
(1) America's Mars exploration cost hundreds of millions of dollars. (2) To date, we have uncovered no firm evidence of life beyond Earth. (3) I think that such an investment is hardly worthwhile, considering the problems we have here on Earth. (4) Shouldn't we spend our tax dollars on education, defense, and the arts instead of worrying about remote reaches of the solar system? (5) I can't understand what proponents of space exploration are thinking.
1. Which of the following does the author of this passage believe?
a. Space exploration is too expensive.
b. Money spent on space exploration is creating a budget deficit.
c. Money spent on space exploration is driving up the tax rate. d.Money spent on space exploration would be better spent on other projects.
e. Money spent on understanding the universe prevents scientists from understanding the earth.
2. In sentence 5, the term "proponents" means a. advocates
b. antagonists
c. scientists
d. investors
e. researchers
SAT #59
1. Nearly every month, the magazine publishes (blank) articles that stir up controversy and enrage half of the magazine's readership.
a. sensitive b. provocative
c. salutary
d. prosaic
e. innocuous
2. The cheerful letter Angel sent from the front lines of battle did nothing to (blank) his mother's fears.
a. deconstruct b. absolve c. assuage
d. defer
e. incite
SAT #60
1. Soap operas which seem all the same to me, are full of melodrama, secrets, and romance.
a. soap operas which
b. soap operas: which c. soap operas, which
d. soap operas who
e. soap operas that
2. Clothes from the seventies seems to have made a big comeback.
a. Clothes from the seventies seems b. Clothes from the seventies seem
c. Clothes from the seventies had seemed
d. Clothes, from the seventies, seems
e. Clothes from the seventies seemingly
SAT #61
(1) In the past few decades, scientists have made remarkable headway in such endeavors as cancer research, epidemiology, and genetics. (2) Animal rights activists often protest the use of animals in scientific research. (3) However, to protest experimentation on lab animals is to protest progress itself. (4) If not for the animals used for decades in labs around the world, cures would go undiscovered and diseases would go untreated. (5) Scientists and researchers would never be able to conduct potentially dangerous experiments on humans.
1. Based on the passage, one can infer that
a. animals have no rights
b. animals are not protected under the laws of many countries
c. scientists do nothing to harm the animals in labs d. the author believes strongly in the necessity of research on lab animals
e. the author is making an ironic argument in support of animal activists
2. According to the author, which of the following might be a possible consequence of the discontinuation of research on laboratory animals? a. the inhibition of progress
b. the use of plants and fish in lieu of lab animals
c. the loss of many research jobs around the world
d. a resurgence of protests from anti-animal rights activists
e. the unlawful harming of many humans in underdeveloped nations
SAT #62
(1) My grandfather frequently rode trains from place to place when he was a young boy. (2) Occasionally he paid for his passage, but more often than not, he hopped inside an empty boxcar and hitched a ride from town to town. (3) He has worked on his train collection for nearly forty years now. (4) He has collected seventy complete train sets, dozens of antique signs, and miscellaneous train and railroad memorabilia. (5) He was even thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
1. Which of the following sentences should be added to the beginning of sentence 3?
a. His memories of trains are still with him.
b. Collecting trains can be very expensive.
c. Collecting trains can be very profitable.
d. Trains are very collectible. e. His memories of riding trains inspired my grandfather to collect trains and train memorabilia.
2. In the context of the passage, which of the following is the best revision of sentence 5?
a. He had even thought about opening a railroad museum here in town.
b. He had been thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town. c. He is even thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
d. He started to think about opening a railroad museum here in town.
e. He once had even been thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
Literary Terms Log
Term
Definition
Examples (three)
Archetype
A model, or a common example of a particular thing or person
-Vampires in literature are often an example of someone who is immoral.
-A femme fatale is a woman who brings destruction and negatively influences surrounding characters.
-A quest for self-knowledge.
Plain Style
A way of writing that stresses simplicity and clarity of expression
-Ben Jonson
-Ernest Hemingway
-Francis Bacon
Paradox
A statement that appears self-contradictory but reveals a kind of truth
-"The child is father of the man." - Wordsworth
-Bittersweet
-Money can buy a bed but not sleep
Extended Metaphor
A metaphor that is extended or developed over a number of lines or with several examples
-He is the pointing gun, we are the bullets of his desire.
-Let me count my loves of thee, my rose garden, my heart, my fixed mark, my beginning and my end.
-All the world's a stage and men and women merely players.
Irony
An implied difference between what is said and what is meant
-Animal Farm - try to get rid of a totalitarian society
-The Titanic was thought to be unsinkable, but it sank the next day
-Candide by Voltaire
Motivation
Reason for acting of behaving in a certain way
-Achieve success
-Study hard to do well on a test
-Practice for a competition to win a prize
Dynamic Character
A character that experiences important, internal change because of the action in the plot
-Ebenezer Scrooge
-Hamlet
-Harry Potter
Comic Relief
The inclusion of a witty dialogue, scene, or funny character in a serious story to relieve tension
-Juliet's nurse in Romeo and Juliet
-Drunken porter in Macbeth
-Gravediggers in Hamlet
Symbol
An object, person, or image that represents or signifies something
-A cross is a symbol of Christianity
-A journey or quest in literature represents self-knowledge
-Water or being drenched in water in literature symbolizes baptism
Inference
To conclude from evidence; deduce. Figuring something out by using what you already know
-The baby was asleep upstairs in his bed. Suddenly, I heard a loud, "THUMP!" and he began crying hysterically. I ran upstairs because I inferred that he fell out of bed.
-In third grade, you cannot be promoted to fourth grade unless you pass the final exam. My classmate said she was going back to third grade again. I know she's got o.k. grades, so inferred that she failed her final exam.
-Just because the famous actor was seen in a jewelry store, all the tabloids inferred he's going to ask his singer girlfriend to marry him.
Aphorism
A brief, usually concise statement or observation of a doctrine, principle, truth, or sentiment
-Science is organized knowledge. — Herbert Spencer
-Lost time is never found again. — Benjamin Franklin
-Greed is a permanent slavery. — Ali
Persuasion
The type of speaking or writing that is intended to make its audience adopt a certain opinion or pursue an action or do both.
"Oral delivery aims at persuasion and making the listener believe he has been converted. Few persons are capable of being convinced; the majority allow themselves to be persuaded."
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
"In a republican nation, whose citizens are to be led by reason and persuasion and not by force, the art of reasoning becomes of first importance."
(Thomas Jefferson)
"There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory."
(Mark Twain)
Rhetorical Question
One asked solely to produce an effect or to make a statement, but not expected to receive an answer. The purpose to such a question, whose answer is obvious, is usually to make a deeper impression upon the hearer or reader than a direct statement would.
-Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution?
-If practice makes perfect, and no one's perfect, then why practice?
-How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?
Allusion
A figure of speech making casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event.
-In The Matrix Reloaded, wherein Morpheus states, "I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream is gone from me (sic)", which alludes to a quote by King Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel 2:3 of the Old Testament
-Aldous Huxley's Brave New World alludes to Shakespeare
-The Narnia series allude to the resurrection of Jesus
Analogy
A literary analogy is a comparison in which the subject is compared point by point to something far different, usually with the idea of clarifying the subject by comparing it to something familiar. Analogies can provide insights and also imply that the similarities already present between the two subjects can mean even more similarities.
-Anne Bradstreet's "The Author to Her Book"
-"MTV is to music as KFC is to chicken."
(Lewis Black)
-"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."
(Don Marquis)
Anecdote
A little story, often amusing, inserted in an essay or a speech to help reinforce the thesis
-The Canterbury Tales
-Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five
-A parable from the Bible
Counterclaim
An opposing claim, especially one by a defendant against a plaintiff's claim in a lawsuit
-A bank sues a customer for an unpaid debt, while the customer counterclaims (sues back) against the bank for fraud in procuring the debt. The court will sort out the different claims in one lawsuit (unless the claims are severed).
-Two cars collide. One person sues for damage to her car and personal injuries. The defendant counterclaims for similar property damage and personal injury claims.
-A man is declared innocent in court, however, a witness opposes and claims that the man is the murderer
Mood
In literature, a feeling, emotional state, or disposition of mind--especially the predominating atmosphere or tone of a literary work
-Ominous = can be said if the atmosphere is dark and a wolf is howling
-Gloomy = loss or death
-Fear = darkness and emptiness
Tone
The writer's attitude toward his readers and his subject; his mood or moral view
-Mocking = satire in Shakespeare's plays
-Uneasy = when Othello kills Desdemona
-Bitter = when Iago plots against Othello
Allegory
A narrative that serves as an extended metaphor
-Animal Farm by George Orwell = representation of Russia under Stalin's leadership
-The Crucible by Arthur Miller = represents McCarthyism
-The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis = represents the resurrection of Jesus and has religious elements
Meter
A recognizable though varying pattern of stressed syllables alternating with syllables of less stress
-Iambic: Shall I compare thee to a summers day
-Trochaic: Double, double, toil and trouble
-Anapestic: So I walk by the edge of a lake in my dream
Personification
A word or an expression which abstractions, animals, ideas, and inanimate objects are given human character, traits, abilities, or reactions
-The rock flew down the cliff like a maniac.
-The sun kissed the flowers.
-The computer mocked her by deleting her work.
Alliteration
Repeating a consonant sound in close proximity to others, or beginning several words with the same vowel sound
-The slippery snake slithered softly in the grass
-Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
-Dewdrops Dancing Down Daisies by Paul McCann
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates the sound it represents
-Clang
-Bang
-Purr
Rhyme Scheme
A regular pattern of rhyme, one that is consistent throughout the extent of the poem
- There once was a big brown cat a
That liked to eat a lot of mice. b
He got all round and fat a
Because they tasted so nice. b
-Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, a
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, b
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs a
And towards our distant rest began to trudge. b
-From childhood’s hour I have not been a
As others were; I have not seen a
As others saw; I could not bring b
My passions from a common spring. b
Imagery
A common term of variable meaning, imagery includes the "mental pictures" that readers experience with a passage of literature
-"A host of golden daffodils; / Beside the lake, beneath the trees, / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. (4-6) by William Wordsworth
-"Continuous as the stars that shine / And twinkle on the milky way, / They stretched in never-ending line / Along the margin of a bay." (7-10) by William Wordsworth
-"The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; / He watches from his mountain walls." (4-5) by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Free Verse
A verse that lacks regular meter and line length but relies upon natural rhythms
-"After the Sea-Ship" by Walt Whitman
-"Marriage" by Marianne Moore
-"Little Father" by Li-Young Lee
Cadence
The melodic pattern just before the end of a sentence or phrase--for instance an interrogation or an exhortation
-"Painting of a Bedroom with Cats" by Elizabeth Bartlett
-"For Me" by Ian McMillan
-"The Ice-Cream Man" by Michael Longley
Practice #39
(1) When television writers get stuck for ideas, they always seem to turn to the same old gimmicks. (2) One such gimmick is to get the main characters stuck somewhere, perhaps in an elevator, on an island, or on a plane that is going down. (3) The plot always unfolds in the same way: the characters reveal all sorts of intimate information, only to be rescued before the show ends. (4) Perhaps the most overused gimmick is the introduction of a celebrity into the cast of characters as someone's relative or love interest. (5) This move is a sure sign that the writers and producers have run out of fresh material.
1. Which of the following conclusions can be made based on this passage?
a. TV writers and producers enjoy using gimmicks
b. TV writers and producers all suffer from writer's block
c. TV writers and producers sometimes succeed in persuading celebrities to appear on shows
d. TV audiences cannot recognize a plot that is used in a multitude of settings and genres
e. TV writers and producers are not nearly as creative as they often appear to be
2. Which of the following inferences can be made based on the passage?
a. A small group of writers and producers write the material for most TV shows
b. Using formulas is not the way to create successful TV shows
c. There are only three main scenarios that writers use to invigorate shows
d. Story lines must always feature original, never-before-seen content if a show is to be successful
e. Certain scenarios and story lines are used in many kinds of shows.
Practice #40
1. His claim to fame is because he was once on a reality TV show; however, he got kicked off the show after the first episode. No error.
2. Its amazing how moviegoers willingly pay the exorbitant prices for popcorn, candy, soda, and nachos at the theater. No error.
Practice #41
Choose the answer that most improves the bolded portion of the original sentence.1. Extra security was hired by the colleges for the football game.
a. Extra security was hired by the colleges for the football game.
b. Extra security were hired by the colleges for the football game.
c. Extra security was hired for the football game by the colleges.
d. The colleges hired extra security for the football game.
e. The colleges were hired by extra security for the football game.
2. She broke her nails trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red.
a. nails trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red
b. nails, which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red, trying to open the can of soda
c. nails which had just been painted, trying to open the can of soda, a beautiful shade of cherry red
d. nails while trying to open the can of soda which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red
e. nails trying to open the can of soda, which had just been painted a beautiful shade of cherry red
SAT #42
(1) Customers can accumulate points for using the ChargeMe credit card and then use those points to purchase great merchandise. (2) Points can even be used to go ona vacation to the Bahamas the Caribbean or Florida. (3) The marketing division of ChargeMe hopes that this points program will not only encourage existing customers to use their cards more; but will also actually encourage others to apply for a ChargeMe credit card.1. Which of the following is the best revision of sentence 2?
a. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to: the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or Florida
b. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to; the Bahamas, the Caribbean the Virgin Islands or the British Isles.
c. Points perhaps can possibly even be used to go on a vacation.
d. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or Florida
e. Points can even be used to go on a vacation to the Bahamas; the Caribbean; or Florida.
2. Which revision does sentence 3 most need?
a. Replace "but will actually" with "but may actually"
b. Remove the semicolon between "more" and "but."
c. Replace "encourage" with "encourages."
d. Remove "also."
e. Add a comma after "points program."
SAT #43
(1) The Barton County School District plans to launch a new program for evaluating its teachers. (2) BCSD is hoping that its pilot program can serve as a prototype for other districts across the state and even across the country. (3) The committee wants its evaluation program to measure a teacher's knowledge of his or her subject matter, effectiveness in the classroom, and demeanor in and out of the classroom.
1. Besides evaluating each teacher in the district, BCSD also hopes to do which of the following with its teacher evaluation program?
a. offer the program as a model for other interested administrators
b. determine teacher merit pay
c. determine student placement based on teacher competency
d. place teachers in suitable schools
e. measure the relative intelligence of the district teachers
2. Which of the following will not be measured by the BCSD teacher evaluation program?
a. a teacher's manner in a classroom setting
b. a teacher's efficacy with students in a learning environment
c. a teacher's behavior and conduct outside the classroom
d. a teacher's comprehension of his or her main subject
e. a teacher's expertise in cross-curricular subjects
SAT #44
1. Thea teacher's scribbled _ not only excited Sida, they _ her to keep up her hard work.
a. complements...motivated
b. compliments...motivated
c. exhortations...exhilarated
d. conflagrations...enervated
e. dissertations...ameliorated
2. Much to the dismay of the scientific community, the _ supported a theory that completely _ fifty years of accepted science.
a. orator...collaborated
b. recluse...embroiled
c. prophet....disoriented
d. novice...discredited
e. evangelist...disregarded
SAT #45
1. All the people in the office overlooking the lake needs to be sure that their computers are turned off before they leave work on Friday. No error.
2. Louis couldn't overcome the embarrassment of spilling grape soda on they're carpet, so he left immediately. No error.
SAT #46
(1) Less than one percent of the money in the criminal justice system budget is spent on vocational training for inmates in state prisons. (2) Critics argue that if more money was spent on training, fewer prisoners would return to a life of crime. (3) If more money was spent on helping prisoners learn work skills, less money would have to be spent on processing and incarcerating convicts. (4) This is assuming, of course, that inmates want vocational training.1. Which of the following inferences can be made based on the argument in the passage above?
a. Inmates who receive vocational training will probably wind up back in prison.
b. Inmates who receive vocational training are just as likely to commit crimes as those who do not receive vocational training.
c. Inmates who receive vocational training are less likely to commit crimes upon their release.
d. Tax money should not be spent on vocational training for inmates.
e. The criminal justice system should reevaluate its priorities.
2. In sentence 3, the term "incarcerating" means
a. setting free
b. educating
c. prosecuting
d. imprisoning
e. releasing
SAT #47
(1) Frank decided to open his own construction company. (2) His first move was to hire a crew. (3) He hired a carpenter. (4) He hired a plumber. (5) He hired an electrician and a concrete expert. (6) Frank wanted to advertise, so he put an ad in the newspaper and he ran the ad for three months. (7) Within a matter of just a few weeks, Frank had signed twelve contracts for new housing construction in three different subdivisions in of the city. (8) Frank was well on his way to succeess.Which of the following is the best combination of sentences 2, 3, 4, and 5?
a. Frank's first move was to: hire a crew, hire a carpenter, hire an electrician, and hire a concrete expert.
b. Frank, as his first move, was to hire a crew that consisted of everything from a carpenter to a concrete expert.
c. Frank's first move was to hire a crew consisting of a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and a concrete expert.
d. A carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and a concrete expert made up Frank's crew; he hired them.
e. Frank first hired a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, and then a concrete expert as his first move for a crew.
SAT #48
1. Bull riders must surely have to really be strong and brave.
a. must surely have to really be
b. surely must really have to be
c. really must surely be
d. have to surely be
e. have to be
2. Doctors and nurses, that work in emergency rooms, often suffer from work-related stress.
a. nurses, that work in emergency rooms,
b. nurses who work in emergency rooms
c. nurses which, work in emergency rooms,
d. nurses, who work, in emergency rooms
e. nurses, whom work in emergency rooms,
SAT #49
(1) All humans need sleep in order to function on a day-to-day basis. (2) Some people need eight to ten hours of sleep each night, while other people need only four to six hours of sleep. (3) Some people like to stay up very late; others prefer to go to bed so they can wake up early. (4) While many people like to sleep on firm mattresses, others enjoy soft mattresses. (5 Clearly, there are as many variations of "a good night's sleep" as there are people who sleep.
1. In the context of the paragraph, which of the following revisions does sentence 1 most need?
a. Add "However" to the beginning of the sentence.
b. Replace "day-to-day" with "daily."
c. Replace "All humans need" with "Every human needs."
d. Offset the phrase "in order to function" with commas.
e. Replace "basis" with "basic."
2. In which of the following places in the paragraph should the following sentence be added? However, not all humans have the same sleep habits, preferences, and needs.
a. Add to the beginning of the paragraph
b. Add between sentence 1 and sentence 2
c. Add between sentence 3 and sentence 4
d. Add to the end of the paragraph
e. Combine with sentence 5
SAT #50
1. The new governor never (blank) any of his campaign promises, and as a result his supporters felt totally (blank).
a. made...convinced
b. encouraged...secured
c. authored...bamboozled
d. fulfilled...betrayed
e. authenticated...disassociated
2. Sam idolized his brother and tried to (blank) him every respect.
a. vindicate
b. emulate
c. propagate
d. formulate
e. integrate
(1) Some people enjoy old black-and-white movies, some enjoy science fiction shows, and others are addicted to reality TV. (2) I love infomercials. (3) I plan to build a website devoted solely to the infomercial. (4) My dream is to one day open an Infomercial Museum and Hall of Fame. (5) Despite what people say, I have not developed an unhealthy obsession with the products advertised in infomercials. (6) I'm fully aware that most of the products showcased on infomercials are junk. (7) I am interested primarily in infomercial marketing techniques, the salesmanship of the D-list celebrities who endorse the products, and the crazy gimmicks that manufacturers use to try to sell their goods. (8) Sales execs and ad agencies could learn a lot from the geniuses behind infomercials.
1. Which of the following is implied in the passage?
a. The author has collected an impressive collection of vintage infomercial products.
b. The author has accumulated a sizable debt because of an addition to infomercial products.
c. People have made fun of the author for his interest in infomercials.
d. The author never watches infomercials; he just records them.
e. The author must be very wealthy, if he intends to open an infomercial museum.
2. Which of the following words best describes the author's account of his interest in infomercials?
a. contentious
b. contemporary
c. convoluted
d. candid
e. condescending
SAT #53
1. With the expanded use of email, it is very possible that in the future the world had lost the will and the desire to write letters the old-fashioned way. No error.
2. When I look in the mirror I saw a person who has goals and who plans on reaching those goals through hard work, determination, and desire. No error.
SAT #54
1. The professor stood in front of the class of college freshmen and lectures them on punctuality, discipline, and responsibility.
a. and lectures them
b. and, lectures them
c. and, lectured them
d. and lectured them
e. and lectured their
2. Manny and Miguel spent all night; playing their guitars, talking, and writing new music.
a. night; playing
b. night playing
c. night: playing
d. night and were playing
e. nights playing
SAT #55
(1) Insurance companies fleece millions and millions of customers each year. (2) They charge people thousands of dollars annually. (3) If a customer has an accident, the company pays for only a portion of the expenses. (4) Furthermore, the insurance company raises the cost of the customer's insurance policy every time he or she makes a claim. (5) There must be something unethical about this practice.
1. Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
a. People don't really need insurance.
b. The government should intervene to help insurance customers.
c. Insurance companies owe it to their customers to process their claims in an efficient manner.
d. Insurance companies operate illegally.
e. Insurance companies' business practices are unscrupulous.
2. Based on the context of the passage, the word "fleece" in sentence 1 means
a. swindle
b. cover
c. aid
d. develop
e. insure
SAT #56
(1) People often assume that the eagle was the natural and obvious choice to be the national bird of the United States. (2) However, Ben Franklin, one of the nation's founding fathers, had another bird in mind: the turkey. (3) Franklin believed the turkey is a powerful bird that represents America well. (4) The turkey didn't catch on as the national bird, despite his best efforts. (5) If Franklin's bid had been successful, Thanksgiving would be celebrated differently than it is today.
1. Which of the following is the best revision of sentence 3?
a. Franklin believes the turkey is a powerful bird that represents America well.
b. Franklin believed the turkey was a powerful bird that represents America well.
c. Franklin believed the turkey was a powerful bird that represented America well.
d. Franklin believed the turkey is a powerful bird that represented America well.
e. Franklin believes the turkey is a powerful bird that represented America well.
2. In the context of the paragraph, which of the following revisions does sentence 4 most need?
a. Replace "didn't" with "couldn't."
b. Place the phrase "despite his best efforts" at the beginning of the sentence.
c. Replace the comma with a semicolon.
d. Replace "his" with "Franklin's."
e. Replace "despite" with "in spite of."
SAT #57
1. In an attempt to (blank) the uprising, the government (blank ) troops to the frontier.
a. confess...employed
b. digress...convoyed
c. regress...conveyed
d. suppress...deployed
e. fortress...alloyed
2. The (blank) team bounced back from the loss and went on to win the title.
a. efficient
b. considerate
c. resilient
d. influential
e. salubrious
SAT #58
(1) America's Mars exploration cost hundreds of millions of dollars. (2) To date, we have uncovered no firm evidence of life beyond Earth. (3) I think that such an investment is hardly worthwhile, considering the problems we have here on Earth. (4) Shouldn't we spend our tax dollars on education, defense, and the arts instead of worrying about remote reaches of the solar system? (5) I can't understand what proponents of space exploration are thinking.
1. Which of the following does the author of this passage believe?
a. Space exploration is too expensive.
b. Money spent on space exploration is creating a budget deficit.
c. Money spent on space exploration is driving up the tax rate.
d.Money spent on space exploration would be better spent on other projects.
e. Money spent on understanding the universe prevents scientists from understanding the earth.
2. In sentence 5, the term "proponents" means
a. advocates
b. antagonists
c. scientists
d. investors
e. researchers
SAT #59
1. Nearly every month, the magazine publishes (blank) articles that stir up controversy and enrage half of the magazine's readership.
a. sensitive
b. provocative
c. salutary
d. prosaic
e. innocuous
2. The cheerful letter Angel sent from the front lines of battle did nothing to (blank) his mother's fears.
a. deconstruct
b. absolve
c. assuage
d. defer
e. incite
SAT #60
1. Soap operas which seem all the same to me, are full of melodrama, secrets, and romance.
a. soap operas which
b. soap operas: which
c. soap operas, which
d. soap operas who
e. soap operas that
2. Clothes from the seventies seems to have made a big comeback.
a. Clothes from the seventies seems
b. Clothes from the seventies seem
c. Clothes from the seventies had seemed
d. Clothes, from the seventies, seems
e. Clothes from the seventies seemingly
SAT #61
(1) In the past few decades, scientists have made remarkable headway in such endeavors as cancer research, epidemiology, and genetics. (2) Animal rights activists often protest the use of animals in scientific research. (3) However, to protest experimentation on lab animals is to protest progress itself. (4) If not for the animals used for decades in labs around the world, cures would go undiscovered and diseases would go untreated. (5) Scientists and researchers would never be able to conduct potentially dangerous experiments on humans.
1. Based on the passage, one can infer that
a. animals have no rights
b. animals are not protected under the laws of many countries
c. scientists do nothing to harm the animals in labs
d. the author believes strongly in the necessity of research on lab animals
e. the author is making an ironic argument in support of animal activists
2. According to the author, which of the following might be a possible consequence of the discontinuation of research on laboratory animals?
a. the inhibition of progress
b. the use of plants and fish in lieu of lab animals
c. the loss of many research jobs around the world
d. a resurgence of protests from anti-animal rights activists
e. the unlawful harming of many humans in underdeveloped nations
SAT #62
(1) My grandfather frequently rode trains from place to place when he was a young boy. (2) Occasionally he paid for his passage, but more often than not, he hopped inside an empty boxcar and hitched a ride from town to town. (3) He has worked on his train collection for nearly forty years now. (4) He has collected seventy complete train sets, dozens of antique signs, and miscellaneous train and railroad memorabilia. (5) He was even thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
1. Which of the following sentences should be added to the beginning of sentence 3?
a. His memories of trains are still with him.
b. Collecting trains can be very expensive.
c. Collecting trains can be very profitable.
d. Trains are very collectible.
e. His memories of riding trains inspired my grandfather to collect trains and train memorabilia.
2. In the context of the passage, which of the following is the best revision of sentence 5?
a. He had even thought about opening a railroad museum here in town.
b. He had been thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
c. He is even thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
d. He started to think about opening a railroad museum here in town.
e. He once had even been thinking about opening a railroad museum here in town.
Literary Terms Log
-A femme fatale is a woman who brings destruction and negatively influences surrounding characters.
-A quest for self-knowledge.
-Ernest Hemingway
-Francis Bacon
-Bittersweet
-Money can buy a bed but not sleep
-Let me count my loves of thee, my rose garden, my heart, my fixed mark, my beginning and my end.
-All the world's a stage and men and women merely players.
-The Titanic was thought to be unsinkable, but it sank the next day
-Candide by Voltaire
-Study hard to do well on a test
-Practice for a competition to win a prize
-Hamlet
-Harry Potter
-Drunken porter in Macbeth
-Gravediggers in Hamlet
-A journey or quest in literature represents self-knowledge
-Water or being drenched in water in literature symbolizes baptism
-In third grade, you cannot be promoted to fourth grade unless you pass the final exam. My classmate said she was going back to third grade again. I know she's got o.k. grades, so inferred that she failed her final exam.
-Just because the famous actor was seen in a jewelry store, all the tabloids inferred he's going to ask his singer girlfriend to marry him.
-Lost time is never found again. — Benjamin Franklin
-Greed is a permanent slavery. — Ali
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
(Thomas Jefferson)
(Mark Twain)
-If practice makes perfect, and no one's perfect, then why practice?
-How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?
-Aldous Huxley's Brave New World alludes to Shakespeare
-The Narnia series allude to the resurrection of Jesus
-"MTV is to music as KFC is to chicken."
(Lewis Black)
-"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo."
(Don Marquis)
-Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five
-A parable from the Bible
-Two cars collide. One person sues for damage to her car and personal injuries. The defendant counterclaims for similar property damage and personal injury claims.
-A man is declared innocent in court, however, a witness opposes and claims that the man is the murderer
-Gloomy = loss or death
-Fear = darkness and emptiness
-Uneasy = when Othello kills Desdemona
-Bitter = when Iago plots against Othello
-The Crucible by Arthur Miller = represents McCarthyism
-The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis = represents the resurrection of Jesus and has religious elements
-Trochaic: Double, double, toil and trouble
-Anapestic: So I walk by the edge of a lake in my dream
-The sun kissed the flowers.
-The computer mocked her by deleting her work.
-Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
-Dewdrops Dancing Down Daisies by Paul McCann
-Bang
-Purr
That liked to eat a lot of mice. b
He got all round and fat a
Because they tasted so nice. b
-Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, a
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, b
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs a
And towards our distant rest began to trudge. b
-From childhood’s hour I have not been a
As others were; I have not seen a
As others saw; I could not bring b
My passions from a common spring. b
-"Continuous as the stars that shine / And twinkle on the milky way, / They stretched in never-ending line / Along the margin of a bay." (7-10) by William Wordsworth
-"The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; / He watches from his mountain walls." (4-5) by Lord Alfred Tennyson
-"Marriage" by Marianne Moore
-"Little Father" by Li-Young Lee
-"For Me" by Ian McMillan
-"The Ice-Cream Man" by Michael Longley